“Neither do I condemn thee”
These merciful words of Jesus are often misunderstood as words of clemency to sin. But Jesus did not acquit the adulterous woman so as to make void God’s commandment and neither do we know if she showed any sign of repentance. Passing no sentence on her, Jesus came to her not as a witness or a judge, but simply spoke to her as Mediator and Saviour of sinners. We do not know what became of the woman afterwards but one thing we do know is that, for her sin, Jesus was willing to die on the cross. God is truly rich in mercy in that He “sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).
